


no bills over 20

by floweryscholar



Series: To sharpen and fold the blade of my pen (metaphorically) [1]
Category: The Prom (2020), The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29975544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floweryscholar/pseuds/floweryscholar
Summary: Alyssa works part-times in a bakery cafe and sees a cute girl that captured her heart. She took the chance to ask her out thanks to a misinterpretation of a sign.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Series: To sharpen and fold the blade of my pen (metaphorically) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208900
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	no bills over 20

“Thank you and come again”, Alyssa said, smiling politely as the customer put away their debit card and walk over towards the ‘waiting for orders’ counter. Watching as customer walk-away, putting a crisp five-dollar bill in the tripping jar, Alyssa could help but left out a sigh, cranking her neck to ease her arching neck. Even though it been two and half hours since her shift started (and that minus her ten minutes break), she already feels tried and achingly waits for her shift to end.

She was working as cashier-barista at a bakery-café called _Changing Lives_ near her university campus, Columbus in New York. Even though her mother, federal aids, and the scholarship given enough money that it settles her financial burden, she still decided work here, having some spare change and backup if either aids or scholarship ever drop her for some reason. _And become more independent from my mother_ , Alyssa thought.

Her feet were bouncing anxiously, even though the café is nearly empty, it almost noon and that means college students rushing over here for lunch. _Changing Lives_ is a decent café, she could say safely: their menu has lavishing wraps that make people mouth water, the coffee is strong enough that a student who study all night could be up for hours from one slip, and the most important of all, the wage well-solid (and the owners doesn’t expropriate from their tips). And the owners, a gay man name Barry Glickman along with co-owner his husband Trent, a drama high school teacher, were nice, owning two other _Lives_ across Lower Manhattan, and they’re hoping to expand their brand further.

Alyssa huff, wondering if she could ask Barry to shorten her shift today when she hear the door ringing, announcing another customer coming. Looks over to the door and her spirit lifted.

A young woman, near her early twenty’s (like her), wearing a blue-white stripe shirt with a green flannel over it, jeans, and an orange beanie. And she was certainly pretty: a smile that dazzle anyone in her path, a porcelain skin with rosy cheeks, wavy golden blond hair that bounce with her every step, and her sky-blue eyes that make Alyssa heart flatter every time their eyes locked. _If I wasn’t gay before_ , Alyssa dreamily thoughted, trying to ease her heart; she doesn’t need to be in a dozy state doing work now.

The woman has been coming over here recently in the past three weeks ago. She doesn’t know much about the woman, well other than her flattering jovial smile that always been cheerful, ordering the same means (a beef wrap with Barry famous sauce), and that (and Alyssa is most graceful) she a lesbian. She noted the purple-orange stripe buttons that pin across her messenger bug strap. And Alyssa was too much of a coward to ask her out.

“I can help you next, Emma”, she said, smiling in a real genuine smile; she remembers her name specifically, with the requirement of asking the customer’s name. Emma smile, her jovial aura always lightens Alyssa mood whenever she feels stress or an anxiety creeping in from her exams and walk upward to the recipient desk.

“Hey…uh..Alyssa”, she said, her remembrance of Alyssa name wasn’t truly reinforce by their lack of interaction that doesn’t revolve the café, however, Alyssa wasn’t hurt by this, happy that

Emma was could at least remember her name (and doesn’t hurt that her name pin was at her shirt). So, Alyssa smile and ask, “So what will it be today? The usually that you always buy?”

“Yeah, ‘cause- you know, I really like that sauce that you guys always used with the wrap”, she sheepishly said, one of her hand rubbing the back her head, gesturing her embarrassment of being so predictable. Alyssa pressed the buttons on the cash register, tying pathetically concealed her sideway glance of Emma gesture. _So cute!_

“You want to try with chicken instead?”

“Na, too coward to try something different.”

Alyssa hums in acknowledgement, nodding as she presses more buttons. “Anything else?”

Emma brought her hand on her chin, stroking it pensively before saying, “Can I have an iced tea please?”

“Sweeten or unsweetened?”

“Sweeten please.” Emma gives her another sheepish look, laughing lightly to hid her embarrassment. “I still have a sweet tooth. I can’t handle anything too bitter. I dislike certain chocolate -that isn’t dark! - because I found them too bitter.”

Alyssa gives her a polite smile, hiding the jovial smile that threaten to blossom over it. She finishes typing the itemize order of Emma’s meal, waiting for the calculation of amount that Emma will soon pay for. Seeing the computerization, the screen flashing with numerals, Alyssa politely said, “That will be fifteen dollars and sixty-nine cents.”

Emma nodded, affirming her dues, and letting out a soft ‘noice’ out loud (Alyssa silently imitated along with her), Emma reaches out into her messenger bag, shuffling around for either her wallet or phone’s whose case mimic wallets. After a few moment, Emma pleasant face soon turn into a confusing gesture, her eyebrow narrowing with chagrin.

“That’s funny”, she said, her voicing edging with distress, “I thought I bring my phone with me”. Ah, a phone case mimic wallet. She continues scuffling with her messenger bag, letting out a huff of ‘damnit!’ out of her breath. She looks up, her shimmer eyes trembling in distress and anxiety. “I think”, she gulps down, her mouth trembling, “I think I forgot my wallet.”

“Ah… don-don’t worry!” Alyssa cried out, realizing that another person is behind Emma. _Shit_ , Alyssa cursed herself, _the lunch rush is near_. “D-do you have cash?”

Emma’s eyes widen, likely realizing that option, and shuffled into her messenger bag, her face scrunching, suddenly brighten with her gleaming smile and pullout green papers in her fist. She looks over to Alyssa until the itinerary of her eyes drawn near the broad next to Alyssa register. Emma’s face metaphase into multiple different expression: confusion, disbelief, realization, horrified, and dishearten. “I-I don’t think”, Emma said, her voice cracking with anxiety, “I have enough money for it.”

Alyssa bitten her lower lips, hurt by the state Emma’s in. The moue of her face furrowed of her distressed. However, Alyssa’s eyes look behind Emma, seeing formation of the now growing line. When there was one person behind Emma, growth with two other people and she could see another person about to open the front door. The lunch rush is finally here and being a restaurant next to a college campus (and very good one at that), the café is about to be pack with college’s students. There’re two register, another coworker of hers will enter their shift now and ease her occupation, but it will only be temporary. She was truly pity Emma’s position, truly she does, but she can’t afford to spend money from her wage. She was about to ask Emma to come back with her wallet, saving her order in the computer, until her eye noted the symbol of Emma’s cash, the itinerary widen her eyes of the amount Emma has now.

“I thought you said didn’t have enough cash”, Alyssa ponders her through to Emma, seeing the crisp bills of Hamilton and Jackson in her hand.

“I don’t!”

“But you have thirty dollars.”

“But the sign said you don’t accept over twenty!” Emma yells out. Alyssa could see a glister from the corner of Emma’s eyes.

Alyssa, her eyebrow narrow and her face frown with confusion, lean over the counter (it’s a bit difficult with her shot frame), and see the sign, saying ‘No Bills over $20’. She read it again until realizing of Emma interpretation of it, dawning her mistake. She couldn’t help it, she starts giggling, using her hand to hover over her mouth so not to offend Emma, her face scrunching with distress and confusing.

“Sorry!” Alyssa said loudly, trying to control her giggle fits, “I thi-ink you misinterpreted what the sign meant.”

Emma still has a furrowed, confusing gesture.

“The sign said, ‘No Bills over $20’. It didn’t mean a cluster of, like, two twenty-bills or one ten and one twenty. It meant a singular bill like fifty and hundreds.”

Emma narrowing eyebrows soon lifted, her frown face twisted into a horrifying gesture of her interpreting the sign.

“That means you good!” Alyssa gesture gladly, her jovial smile hopes to gleam the mood of Emma chagrin face. It didn’t.

Emma simply nodded, her cheek swingling a more darken rose than her usual pink, rosy blush, her face conjuring an abash from her humiliating showmanship with Alyssa.

“D-do you believe me”, Emma trying to say in a jokingly voice, her voice sound more like a squeak, “if I told you I go to Juilliard School?” Her body trembling and her voice shaking was not a good interpretation she was in a joking state.

Alyssa realized that a minor misinterpretation that every person make, is torturing Emma with humiliation and nearly bring her into an anxiety attack, and she was horrible enough to laugh at her. Laugh at her!

Emma gives her the cash, her hand shaken, and Alyssa hesitantly receive it. She computed the amounts in the register and waited for the result. A few second later, she got it.

“Your total is fourteen dollars and thirty-one cents”, she quietly said, shame bosoming in her chest. She took the amount from the cashier drawer and handed it to Emma shaken hand.

Emma, as soon she receives it, jam it in the tipped jar and walk over to the ‘waiting for orders’ counter, her fleshed face still in its crimson color.

Alyssa was shock of her generosity, expected she will pocket it, given all of her change to the jar, partially for her. And she laughed at her. She heard a small snort in front of her, the guy behind Emma, likely laughing of her inane mistake. Alyssa glared with all the glare she could musters at them, silencing them. The shame that blooms from her is taking hold of her body, reckoning her of what she has done. _I need to fix it_ , Alyssa thought, _but how_. An idea soon stuck her.

“Give me a moment!” Alyssa cried out to both the next customer and her coworker, they both given her a disbelief look.

“Mr. Glickman!” She cried out to her boss: he was one of the main cooks on duty now. “Do you know which bags for Emma?!”

“Yes, honey but why?” He questions.

Alyssa didn’t answer, she run for any paper and pen she could find. After finding them, she written her phone number, including her name. She grabs it and says to Barry, “I going to give her my number, apologizing her for my idiocy.”

Barry frown until he realized of her implication. “Ahh I see”, he dreamily said, pensively stroking his chin, “I remember when I was that young.”

“Wha-”

“Don’t worry dear, I cheering you on!”

Alyssa gives him a bewilderment expression, shaking her head, and put the piece of paper in it. She soon gives it to Emma, she still shaken with her humiliation, and as soon she was handed it, she nearly bolted from the café.

Alyssa could now all but do is wait.

* * *

It been a few hours later, nearly the ending of her shift, when her phone vibrant. Alyssa rush for her phone, nearly flinging it across the staff breakroom (“Careful darling!” she hears Mr. Glickman cried out) and seeing a notification text, belonging to a scribble of numbers. She hopes, praying, that’s from Emma and read the text.

From #: Alyssa, is this you?

Alyssa smiled, her hope now increasing of the indication of who it could be.

Alyssa: Hey, I hoping this is Emma 😊

A few moment later.

From #: Yeah that’s me.

Alyssa couldn’t help but let out a cheer, thrusting her fist upwards.

Alyssa: Hey, I sorry what I did there. I was an ass.

From #: It’s ok.

Alyssa: No, is not. Need to apologize for what I did. How about I take you out for dinner, my treat 😊. I near the end of my shift.

There was a few second pause.

From #: Sure! How about two hours from near, meet me at Jubilant.

Alyssa: Okay! See you there <3.

Alyssa smile, her jovial grin erupted across her face. She checks the time, seeing her shifted has end. She clock-out and said Barry, “Okay Mr. Glickman, I’m leaving!”

Barry smile, sitting near a table with the cash from the tipped jar scatter across the table. He adjusted the cash and cried out to her, handed her cash. “Here Alyssa! Your tips from the day.”

Alyssa gestures her hands in thanks and pocket the cash in her purse and went out the store. “Bye Mr. Glickman!”

“Go get her, tiger!”

* * *

Alyssa went back to her dorm, freshening up from her shift, showering to rid all the sweat and musk from her body, and ready herself to be presentable for Emma. She put on a white blazer with a rosy, red blouse, a long, white pencil skirt, and medium height heels. She puts crimson matte on her pump lips, rustic blush for her bronze cheeks, and mascara for her eyelash to enhance her shimmering, aeneous eyes.

Nodding herself in front of the mirror, happy of how she turns out, she went to the subway station near Columbus campus, taking and transferring different station along the way (and maneuvering around a person wearing a brown suit, a rat mask, and carrying a mattress-size pizza with its snout). And soon, she arrives at Jubilant campus. She lounges around the area that Emma sent, awaiting her arrival, and trying to settle her increasingly rapid heart. She was loitering, checking the time until she heard a ‘hey!’ behind her. Alyssa turns around.

She saw Emma, dressing in a full azure blue one-suit with an orange ascot tie around her neck (Freddy from Scooby-do?), it doesn’t matter, she looks dashing personable in her outfit. Emma’s genuinely smile enriched from her rosy cheeks, and her wavy, aureate hair bouncing from her walk. She walks over to Alyssa.

“Hey Alyssa”, Emma said, her smile never flattens.

Alyssa blushes, her rustic bronze cheek got redder than before. “Hey yourself.”

There’s a few pregnant silence until Alyssa fills the sound. “I sorry I laughed at you in _Changing Lives_ , it was incredibly horrible of me put you through that.”

Emma wave her off. “It’s okay. Its okay!” Alyssa was giving her a skeptical looks. “Honestly, I was being overdramatic, and looking back at it, it was kind of funny.”

“Still.” Alyssa was biting her lower lips. “It’s still rude of me to do so.”

“Fine, I accept your apology.” Emma smiled, flashing her smile that shimmer her face. “I mean, you’re playing for dinner tonight, right?”

Alyssa nodded, letting out a breath of relief. “That’s right.”

Emma ponders for a second. “Why didn’t you wait until I come back?”

“That’s another reason why I give you my number.” Alyssa took a breath. _Here goes._ “I like you Emma!”

Emma eyes widen. “Holy shit!”

Silence soon fills the void until broken g6 Emma. “Wait, is this a date?”

“I kinda hope it is”, Alyssa confesses, her hands fidgeting with each other, trembling with anxious.

“If it is, kind I do this?” And Emma leans forward, indicated Alyssa of what she wants. Alyssa nodded, leaning her head too, and brought their lips together. Their lips touch, feeling the other lips. They lean closer, feeling the other lips intertwine, feeling the breath blow gently against their mouth. Their head bump gently against the other, Alyssa smelling the vanilla scent of Emma’s hair and her smelling the hazelnut in Alyssa’s hair. Alyssa couldn’t help but moan into Emma mouth, throwing her arms around Emma’s neck and brushing her nose against hers. Alyssa couldn’t believe that what she wanted for months is finally here. They split apart, slowly, their eyes browsing longingly of each other.

“Yes, you can”, Alyssa said in a husky voice.

Emma smirk, bash her nose against Alyssa, snuggling and causing Alyssa to let out a giggle, a different one from the café, a jovial one. She hugs her and linger in a moment of their laze joy.

“That’s means we dating, right?” Emma asks.

Alyssa, smiling into the hug, said “Yeah, I think we’re.”

After moment, Alyssa asks, “So, where’re we headed. Remember, my treat.”

“Well…”, Emma drawn on, “I know a good pizzeria near around here.”


End file.
